London-based Neg Earth has recently purchased 12 High End Systems DL2 digital lights, which are currently touring with several major artists.

Katie Melua is carrying four DL2s, Studio Beams, and a Wholehog 3 console with LD Chris Lambourne. The tour started in January and draws to a close at the beginning of April. DL2 operator Oli Metcalfe says, “The DL2s have proved to be very reliable and easy to set up – and quite bright. The Media Server is very versatile with many interesting effects. The Wholehog 3 Personality is good, and allows for easy access to all the attributes.”

The Strokes’ LD Chris Ragan of IPS Creative Group has specified two DL2s and two Catalyst Pro Media Servers for the tour which started in the UK/Ireland in January. Ragan adds five Studio Spot 575s when the tour hits the US in March. Says Ragan, “The DL2s are great; we are loving them! Throughout the show the DL2s project band images plus other content to songs on a scrim above the band. We hold out to the end of the show to use the aerial effects. The DL2s are on the top of two 10'towers which leaves a lot of play to hit anywhere in the venue.”

Toto’s LD Andrew Doig has included three DL2s and a Wholehog 3 in his design for the tour, which runs February 25 to May 8 in UK/Europe and Japan. Toto tours the US in summer. Eric Clapton is also touring across Europe starting in May with six DL2s.

In addition to DL2s and Catalysts, Neg Earth’s warehouse also supplies a quantity of Studio Beams, x.Spots, Cyberlights, Studio Spot 575s, Color Pro FXs, and the Wholehog 3 console for tours, festivals, corporate shows, and sports events.

Says Neg Earth’s Dave Ridgway, “To date we’ve found the DL2 an extremely useful tool for LDs. It’s a great deal brighter than the more conventional projectors traditionally used, and the end results have been very well received.”